Mail-chute.



110. 881,111. PATENTBD MAR. 10, 1908.

J. w. CUTLER.

MAIL CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 1.1906.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

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J. W. CUTLER.

MAIL GHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED 0021. 1.1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNi ED srAr-Es PATENT era rron.

JOSEPH WARREN CUTLER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CUTLER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MAIL-GHUTE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

Application filed October 1, 1906. Serial No. 336,880.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn WARREN CUTLER, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Chutes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the other purposes, and it embodies generally in a chute provided with a panel or portion adapted to cover an opening, preferably the front of the chute, which may be readily placed in osition and secured by a locking device un er the control of an authorized person only.

It further consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification In the drawings: F igure 1 is a front view of a mail chute provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line aa of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, showing the locking mechanism. Fig. 5 is front view with the casing broken away to show the catch and, Fig. 6 is a view of the key.

Similar reference numerals'in the several figures indicate similar parts."

As usual in devices of this description, the

- chute is preferably made up of a plurality of superposed sections, extending from the upper floors to .the mail box or receptacle at the lower end, two or more of said sections being locatedat each floor of the building referably removably secured to a support indicatedby A which may be a separate structure or form a part of the walls of the building.

In the present-embodiment the chute sections are each composed of a rear channel or part made of sheet metal and embodying the back portion 1, and the sides 2 ,upon the forward edges of which latter are the-inwardly-projecting flanges 3, and in connection with this a removable front panel 4, recessed at the sides for the reception of the flanges 3 on the rear channel, said flanges 3, when the panel is in position, being located forwardly of the rear face of the panel, thus protecting the joints between the edges so that the edges or corners of descending mail matter will not catch therein. As shown, the side flanges 6 of the panel extend slightlyin rear of the forward edges of the rear channel and this construction I prefer in practice to employ though it is not absolutely necessary if the panel is made of sufficiently heavy material.

The channels constituting the rear portions of the chute sections, are reinforced or .braced at their'lower ends by the bands 8 extending around three sides thereof, said bands being riveted or otherwise secured thereto, and the up or ends of said channels are preferably on y of the thickness of the sheet metal so as to fit within the recessed lower sides of the ets are recessed to receive the reinforced lower ends of the sections, and are provided with the front cross bar or ledge 12 slightly beveled'at 13 forming a recess or socket, and at a lower level with the downwardly-beveled flange 14 extending on three sides, the upper edge of this flange being slightly narrower than the reinforced lower end of the channel to prevent the formation of a ledge on which mail matter could lodge. Beneath this flange is a recess ada ted to receive the upper end of the channel of the lower chute section as shown in Fig. 2. One of these brackets is arranged at the end of each section and it forms the connecti means between them. In the embodiment s own two of the sections alrle rovided with the removable panels at t e ont, and as I have shown the form of .chute contained in my Patent No. 642,586, I

by the panel, and the upper ends are provided with bars 16 secured by rivets or otherwise and formed with the inwardlyeextending downwardly-beveled flange 17 corresponding, when the panel is in place, with the beveled flange 14; on the bracket.

Formed upon or secured to the bar 16 is a locking device adapted to cooperate with the cross bar 12 for the purpose of securing the panel in place, said locking device in the present instanceconsisting of a pivoted button or catch 18 pivotally mounted on the inner side of said bar and having a disksecured thereto provided with recesses or projections ada ted to be engaged bythe end of a remova 1e key 19 having wards or notches 20 therein. 20 indicates a casing secured to the bar in which are arranged circular wards or tumlers 21, with which the wards or notches in the key cooperate to revent the o eration of the locking device ot erwise than )y a ke of appropriate configuration in the hands 0 an authorized person, said key and wards being preferably similar to those shown in my prior patent No. 788,709.

In order to remove the panel it is only necessary to disengage the lock, then tilt the panel forward to remove its upper end from eneath the cross. bar of the upper bracket which constitutes a stop, this being permitted b the beveled port1on13 on the bar 12,

Y and t en to lift the panel upwardly, as will be understood. v

The mailing apertures for the chute are arran ed in the panel of the lower section at each floor being preferably located in a casing or frame indicated by 25 and secured to or in said panel in any-desired manner, but I prefer to employ such an arrangement as is shown and described in my prior patent No.

795,107, but the details thereof are not shown herein.

' 'The bracket 59 nearest the floor has secured to it by rivets 22, atapered sheet metal tubular section 23 adapted to extend through the floor and enter the end of the u pper sec- 0 beingtion or art below, this inner tu covered y an outer tube or base 24 cooperating with the under side of the bracket 59 and extending down. into a sub-base or bracket 25 fastened to the backing A by screws 26 and having the moldi-n r or part 27] tion with a removable at the front and sides resting on t 1e floor.

The portion of the chute next the ceilin is composed of a tubular section 29 adapte to receive the lower end of the bottom section extending down from the floor above and 1s provided at its lower end with the reinforcing band or casting 30 fitting into the uppenportion of the upper bracket 9, and-provided at the front witha pin or projection 31 with which the locking catch 18 on the upper removable panel is adapted to engage when in osition, this catch being provided with a ooked end 32 as shown 1n Fig. 5; As this catch extends upwardly behind the front bar of the upper bracket it serves not only to se-- cure said panel in position bu'tlocks the upper tubular sectionto the bracket so that but one fastening device is required.

33 indicates a top finishing molding verti cally movable on the section 29, and secured thereto or to the support A in any suitable manner. 1

The chute as a whole is cheap in'construction, the parts being readily assembled and applied, but the principal feature is the provision of the removable panels orparts readily secured in osition by locking devices controlled by a ey so that not only may the interior of the chute be inspected, and cleaned or obstructions removed, but these same securing devices prevent the dismantling of the chute or removal of-any part excepting byan authorized person.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mail chute having an opening therein, and a vertically opening socket located at one end of said opening, in combination with a removable panel for covering said opening havin one end adapted to enter said socket and a ocking device for securing the opposite end. v

2. A mail chute having an opening there in, a vertically opening socket located at one end of said opening and an opposing stop at the opposite end of said opening, in combination with a removable panel for covering said opening having one end arranged to cooperate with the socket and the other to cooperate with the stop and a locking device forholding said panel in position over the opening.

3. A mail chute having an opening therein, in combination with a removable panel for coverin said opening, cooperating projections am recesses between the panel and a relatively stationary portion at the ends of of the-panel adapted to be enga ed and dis: engaged by a vertical tilting and iongitudinal movement of the panel, and a'locking device for preventing thetilting movement of the.

panel thereby securing said' panel in position over the opening.

4. A mail chute having the open frontand ledges at opposite ends thereof, in combinaanel for closing said jopcmng and extendingiiehind and cooperatmg with a ledge at one end and having its rear face located in rear of the led'geat the position.

covering said opening tilting connection with one of other end when in position and locking devices for securing the last mentioned end in position.

In a mail chute, the combination with a 5 support, a bracket therein, having a recess, of a chute section open at the front and sup-- v v ported in said bracket, and a removable panel for closing said opening having at one end a portion adapted to enter the recess in 10 the bracket and alocking device for securing 15 ported in said bracket, a removable panel adapted to cover the opening having the portion at one end adapted to enter the .recess in the bracket and a key-operated lock on the other end adapted to secure the panel in 7 In-a mail chute, the combination with a support and brackets thereon, of a chute section open at the front and held bythe brackets at opposite ends,

having a detachable swinging or tilting connection with one of said brackets and a locking device for securing the free end of the panel to the other bracket. I

8. In a mail'ohute, the'combination with the support and the bracket thereon having the recessed upper portion, of a chute section open at the front and engaging the recessed portion of the bracket, a removable panel for 35 closing the opening and having a detachable swinging or tilting connection with the ,bracket and means'for detachably securing the opposite end of said anel.

9. Asupporting brac st for mail chutes 40 having the recessed upper. and lower ends, a

cross bar at the front and the beveled flange extending around three sides of the interior of said bracket between the recessed portlOl'lS.

two supporting brackets, of a mail chute section open at the front and supported in said brackets, a removable panel for covering said opening and having a detachable swinging or said brackets and a key look at the, opposite end of said panel adapted to engage the other bracket to lock the panel in position.

from by a vertical a removable panel for v 10. In a mail chute, the combination with 11. In a mail chute, th'e combination with two supporting brackets having recesses in their proximate sides, and bars at the front, oi" a mail chute section open. at the front hav ing its ends held in the recesses in the brackets, a removable panel for closing the open side of the chute section, one end of said panel extending behind the cross bar on. one bracket and. adapted to be disengaged theretilting movement, and a locking device on the other end of said panel adapted to engage behind the cross bar on the other bracket.

12. in a mail chute, the combination with a bracket having a recess in its side, oi a chute section having its end extending into said recess, a chute section located on the opposite side of the bracket, a removable panel therefor and a locking device on the panel'engaging the bracket and also the firstmentioned section and securing the parts in position. I

13. in a mail chute, the combination with a bracket, of a tubular chute section located on, one side of the bracket, a second chute section on the other side of the bracket, a removable. panel for' the latter and a locking device engaging the bracket, panel and the first-mentioned section for securing the parts together.

14. In a mail chute, the combination with a bracket, of a tubular chute section located on one side of the bracket, a second chute section on the other side oi? the bracket, a re movable panel for thg latter and a locking device on the panel adapted to engage the bracket and the first-mentioned section for securing the parts together.

15. In a mail chute, the combination with a support, a bracket, means for securing it to the support, a removable chute section engaging the bracket and covering the bracketsecuring means when in'position, of a tubular chute section secured to the lower side of the said bracket, the sub-base and means for securing it to the support located in rear of the last-mentioned section, and"la*tubular base secured to the bracketcovering the front and sides of said section and engaging the subbase. JQSEPH WARREN CUTLER Witnesses: R. G. Futon,

RUssnLL' B. Gsirrrrn. 

